Friday 11th October 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this message finds you well. It has been an incredibly positive and exciting fortnight here at Northampton Academy, and I wanted to take a moment to share some of the highlights with you.

Firstly, our Open Evening was a great success. We had the pleasure of welcoming many prospective families into the school, and it was wonderful to see such enthusiasm for the opportunities that Northampton Academy provides. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are looking forward to potentially welcoming many of these students into our community next year.

Our Elite Sports students are today returning from an international tour of Holland, and I am thrilled to report that it was an outstanding success. Not only did our students perform to a high standard, but they also represented the Academy with pride, teamwork, and sportsmanship. This tour provided a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to compete internationally and bond as a team.

We also hosted a very special Open Mic Night, which showcased the incredible talents of our students and staff alike. The performances were truly inspiring, and it was a joy to see so many participants share their musical and spoken word talents with the school community.

Finally, our commitment to making a positive impact on our local environment was demonstrated through a community litter pick. Both staff and students came together to help clean up the surrounding area, reflecting the values of responsibility and community spirit that we strive to instill in our students.

As always, thank you for your continued support. We are proud of the accomplishments of our students and look forward to what the rest of the term will bring.

Parent/Carer tours of the school

The next opportunity is Tuesday 15th October at 8.45 am. If this is something you would like to experience, please complete this form - https://forms.office.com/e/4x6MnX8NRT

Reminder: Equipment for Readiness to Learn

As we strive to maintain an environment where all students are ready to learn and achieve their best, we’d like to remind parents, carers, and students about the essential equipment needed for each day. Please ensure your child is prepared with the following:

1 pencil case

2 blue or black ink pens to write with

1 pencil

1 pencil sharpener

1 rubber

1 ruler

1 scientific calculator

A book for DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time for Years 7-10 (Students can get a book from the library before or after school, or at break or lunchtime every day)

A water bottle

Having the right equipment ensures that students can engage fully in their lessons and make the most of their learning. Our next equipment check will be on Wednesday 13th November.

Spotlight on the Proud Table – Focus Weeks

Next term, we’re excited to introduce Focus Weeks on the Proud Table, where we will shine a spotlight on specific subjects to celebrate the fantastic work our students are producing. Each week, one subject or area will take centre stage, and the achievements will be shared on our social media so the wider community can see the excellence happening in our classrooms.

Here are the subjects we’ll be focusing on next term:

• Geography

• Maths

• Well-being

• English and Literacy

We encourage students to bring in any work they feel proud of, as well as certificates and recognitions from activities outside of school. The Proud Table is a place for us to celebrate the pride we feel in the things we accomplish, both academically and personally.

Year 11 update

Year 11 Mock 1 starts on 4th November.

All Year 11 have had their first study skills session during CDP this week, where they were given a revision timetable to support their own revision time, up to and during the Mocks. Please speak to your child on this and ask to see their plan. This can be a supportive mechanism and tool for parents to use to support revision ‘chunking’.

Year 11 students will receive a personalised timetable next week, detailing their exams, timings and seat numbers. This is a complete replication of the summer examinations.

Sixth Form

Over 20 students have now sent their university applications, and some students have already got offers back from prestigious universities like Birmingham and Southampton. All students in Year 13 need to have sent off their UCAS by the end of November, in order to ensure they are putting themselves in the best possible position.

Year 13 recently participated in the final part of their Oxford Next Generation program by attending a residential at the University of Oxford. During the two-day event, students took part in workshops focused on enhancing their understanding of the application process, interview skills, and admissions test preparation.

They also had the opportunity to engage in a panel session with university tutors where they could ask about courses and university expectations.

On the second day, students explored the city and visited various colleges during the university's open day. Our students found the experience to be informative and beneficial, and they exhibited our core character values throughout the trip. We wish them the best of luck as they embark on this exciting journey of applying to universities.

Mocks

A final reminder for Year 13 that their mocks start on the 18th November. There is no further resit opportunity, so students need to be present and attend their exams. If they are absent for any urgent medical issues, then they will sit the mock(s) the very next day they are in.

Year 12 mocks begin 9th December.

Careers

Big, big news, we have been offered an incredible opportunity with the BBC who will be coming in Friday 18th to do a 1-hour workshop with each year group from Years 7-10. This will be careers-focused and is designed to be interactive and engaging and there will be a chance for Q&A after each session. This will also be the final chance to collect a careers booklet/wallet if your child still hasn't received one from their English teacher.

Conversations should be ongoing regarding post-16 options. Students can come and see us in the careers office (next to the dance studio) every Monday lunch for a formal/informal chat.

A reminder on careers booklets, they should remain in bags at all times. Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards,

Owen Jones

Principal